Screw-actuated jaw type wrench



p 21, 1954 A. R. OBERWEGNER SCREW-ACTUATED JAW TYPE WRENCH 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 28, 1952 INVENTOR: ALF/9E0, R OBERWEGNERAgent.

Sept. 21, 1954 A. R. OBERWEGNER 2,689,497

SCREW-ACTUATED JAW TYPE WRENCH Filed June 28, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 20INVENTOR:

ALFRED R OBE/PWEGNER Jig]! BY Age/7i.

Patented Sept. 21 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SOREW-ACTUATED JAWTYPE WRENCH Ali ed B Qber e Le An els-s, Qei Application June 28, 1952,Serial No. 296,141

7 Claims. 1

This invention relates generally to the tool art and is concerned moreparticularly with a combined wrench and puller tool for use in servicingclothes washing machines.

Conventional clothes washing machines include a center post whichextends upwardly above the bottom of the tub, a vertical oscillatableshaft extending through the post and having an upper projecting end towhich the clothes agitator is keyed for oscillation therewith. In somewashing machines, the post has a lower screw-threaded end which passesthrough a hole in the tub and is screwed into a hole in the housing ofthe driving mechanism, the post usually having a nutlilgeportion bywhichit can be screwed into and from the housing. In other machines, thecenter post is held in place by means of a large nut-like cellar whichis screwed onto a threaded portion of the post and against the topsurface of the tub bottom. In either case, it is extremely difllcult toremove the center posts for the reason that the interengaging threads ofthe post and associated parts become corroded and considerable torque isrequired to rotate the elements to unscrew the same. Various types ofwrenches have been proposed for gripping the part to be screwed into orfromthe washer, one such wrench being disclosed in my patent forAdjustable Socket Wrench, No. 2,443,774, issued June 22, 1948. Whilesuch a wrench is quite effective in unscrewing certain types of postnuts, even when the nuts are tightly corroded in place, it'is notadapted to remove all the various types of nuts currently employed inwashers of the many different makes. In addition, in such priorjawtype-wrenches, the jaws are adjusted toward and away from each otherby means located adjacent the lower end of the tool, within the tub, andit is thus extremely difiicult to effect adjustment of the jaws.Moreover, since the tool must be retained in upright position by onehand, as the jaws are adjusted by the other hand, it is apparent thatthe procedure of setting up the tool for use is a rather laborious onewhich consumes valuable time and thus increases the costs involved inrepairing the washing machine.

It is an important object of this invention to obviate the faults anddeficiencies of such prior washing machine wrenches by providing awrench, of the jaw type, which is highly practical and eflicient, andone which is universal in use, being capable of operating on all typesof center posts and center post nuts employed in all current clotheswashing machines.

Another object of the invention is to provide 2 a wrench, of thecharacter referred to, having a pair of relatively slidable jaws iorgripping the machine part to be tightened or loosened, and actuatingmeans operatively connected to the jaws for actuating the latter to gripor release the part, said actuating means extending up wardly to aposition above the washing machine tub so as tobe accessible for manualoperation.

Another object is to provide in a wrench or the type indicated manuallyoperable means for pivciting the jaw levers to operative and inoperativepositions, this operating means consisting of an operating screw whichis screwed through nuts pivotally mounted at the upper free ends of thejaw levers. In accordance with the present con.- cept, the operatingscrew has screw threads of opposite pitch engageable in correspondinglythreaded holes of the nuts. Bythis arrangement, rotation of theoperating screw in one direction causes the jaw levers to move in adirection to close thegripping jaws and rotation of the screw in theother direction .acts to pivot the levers in the-opposite direction toopen the jaws. In addi tion, by employing such an operating screw, itsthreaded portions of opposite hand function in the manner of a doublethread so .that the wrench is rendered quick-acting with the result thatthe jaws may be quickly opened and closed as required. Moreover, throughthis particular arrangement of elements the mechanical advantage isincreased so that the jaws may be firmly clamped against an object witha minimum of physical exertion on the part of the mechanic servicing themachine. As an added feature, manipulation of the jaws is accomplishedentirely rom o tside the Washin ma hin tub s tha t i unn cessa y to readown into the ub o djust the jaws ,to the object being turned. More:over, the wrench may be conveniently rotated by grasping the oppositeends of the relatively long ecre in G JB th ha d t u t th to e nece saryt loosen ad y v reded pa ts nd un c ew-th m from the machi e- Anotherobject is to provide a wrench of this type in which the jaw levers carryinwardly di.- rectecl, adjustable stop screws, the inner ends of whichare adapted .toengage against the centerpost ofthe washing machinetoretain the wrench in upright position during its operation. This is animportant improvement over prior wrenches designed for the same purposebut which may tilt relative to the part being loosened to cause insecuregripping action oi-the jaws.

Further objects will appear from the following 3 description and fromthe drawings, which are for the purpose of illustration only, and inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the upper portion of a conventionalclothes washing machine, showing my improved wrench, including itspuller attachment, as applied to use in removing the spinner tub of themachine;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the combined wrench and pullerdevice, partly in section;

Fig. 3 is'a sectional plan view, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view as observed in the direction ofarrow 4 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the bottom of the jaws;

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are enlarged bottom views of the jaws, showing themapplied to use in gripping nut-like elements of various forms;

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view through the lower portion of thedevice, showing its impact means applied to use;

Fig. 10 is a side view of the jaws showing them applied to use in awasher having a recessed portion in the tub; and

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the thread-cutting portion ofone of the jaws, taken on line lil| of Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings in detail, my improved washing machine wrenchincludes a substantially rectangular jaw plate I5 to the lateral edgesof which are secured by any means, such as welding, a pair of elongateguide elements is having longitudinal guideways IT. A cross-bar i8 iswelded between the free ends of the elements IE to provide a rigid,rectangular jaw frame of which the jaw plate I5 is an integral part. Asecond jaw plate has its lateral edges disposed in said guideways ll toadapt this plate to slide in the frame toward and away from the jawplate [5.

The jaw plates l5 and 20 have respective transversely spaced, upstandingears 2| and 22 between which extend pivot pins 23 and 24. Pivoted on thepins 23 and 24 are upstanding jaw levers 25 and 26, the upper ends ofwhich diverge slightly. Intermediate their ends, the levers 25 and 26are provided with respective pairs of arms 2'! and 28, pivot studs 29extending through holes in these arms to pivotally connect the jawlevers. As shown in Fig. 3, the studs 29 are extended inwardly. The jawlevers 25 and 26, which are of channel-shaped cross section, carry stopscrews 30 for the purpose to be later explained.

The upper ends of the jaw levers 25 and 26 are bifurcated and extendintransversely through the sides of these forked ends are pivot screws 33upon which are pivoted nut elements 34 provided with aligned bores 35having screw threads of opposite hand. Threaded through said bores is anoperating screw 38 which has a central screw-threaded portion and plaintubular end sections 39. The central portion is composed of two threadedtubular sections 40 and 4! which, as illustrated, have external screwthreads of opposite hand to adapt them to be screwed through the bores35 of the nut elements 34. As shown in Fig. 2, the inner abutting endsof the threaded tubular sections 49 and M are connected by a cylindricalplug 42 inserted in said ends and by Welding 43. The outer end sections39 are joined to reduced outer portions of the center sections it and Mby means of pieces 43. One of the end sections 39 has a transverse holethrough which extends a rod 44 by which the operating screw 33 can bemanually rotated.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that rotation of thescrew 38 in one direction in the nut elements 34 will cause the upperends of the jaw levers 25 and 25 to move apart and, due to theintermediate pivots 29, the lower ends of the levers will move inwardlytoward each other, and rotation of the screw in the opposite directionwill cause the lower ends of the levers to move apart. In this manner,the jaw plates I5 and 20 are caused to move toward and away from eachother, for the purpose to be hereinafter explained. As will be apparentto one versed in mechanics, the opposite hand threads of thesections 40and ll act in the manner of a double pitch thread arrangement so thatthe jaw levers are pivoted through a considerable angle during eachrotation of the operating screw. The operating means thus may beregarded as quickacting.

Detachably connected to the under sides of the jaw plates l5 and 20 byscrews 49 are jaw elements 5!) and 5| of generally arcuate shape, thelower surfaces of these elements extending below the guide elements l5,as shown in Figs. 4 and 10, for the purpose to be later explained. Thefacing edges of the jaw elements 59 and SI have arcuate recesses 52which are provided with screw threads 53 of the form illustrated in Fig.11, the threads of the two elements together providing a continuoushelix when the elements are moved to a position where the recesses 52form concentric parts of a complete circle. At the ends of the arcuaterecesses 52, the jaw elements 50 and 5| have cut-outs 55 provided withcurved portions 56. The recesses 52 also have curved grooves 51 at theircenters and V-shaped notches 58 at the sides of the grooves 51.

By this particular arrangement of the recesses 52, cut-outs 55, 56,grooves 5i and notches 58, the irregularly shaped space between the jawelements 5% and 5| provides a wrench socket adapted to receive varioustypes of nut-like elements which surround or form part of thecenter-posts of the washing machines. For example, the jaw elements 50and 5| are adapted to receive between them a nut 60 of the type shown inFig. 6, said nut having opposite wing-like projections 6i engageable inthe curved portions 58. A cylindrical nut element 62 (Fig. '7) may begripped between the jaw elements, opposite lugs 63 of the elementfitting in the central grooves 51. The jaw elements also may receive anut element 64 of the type illustrated in Fig. 8, the 'V-shaped notches58 receiving pointed projections 59 of the element. Thus, by theparticular shape of the socket formed by the jaw elements, a largevariety of nuts and nut-like portions of centerposts may be firmlygripped between the jaw elements and keyed against rotation relative tothese elements so that when the parts are clamped between the jaws andthe entire tool rotated, the parts of the washing machines arepositively rotated. Some washers employ a sheet metal guard 50 (Fig. 10)over the drain opening H of the tub. The present wrench tool is adaptedto remove a nut 12 when the latter is located in such a tub, it beingobserved that the height or thickness of the jaw elements 59 and 5! issufficient to adapt the jaw frame [5, 20, it to rotate in a plane abovethe guard 19 to clear the same.

It frequently occurs that a center-post or the nut thereon is so tightlyfrozen in place that it must be struck tangential blows to break thecorrosion before it can be turned by conventional centerpost- "wrenchesiIt has been determined that the torque produced by my wrench isusuallysufficient to loosen very tightly frozen parts; However, to guardagainst a situation where the part may-be extremely difficult todislodge, I

provide a striker means 15*as shown in Fig; 9-.

This means consists of a relatively long bolt 16 having a threadedendadapted tobescrewed selectively into either oftwoinclined bosses 'i'! or18 providedat anend of the'guide elements striker block is reciprocatedon the bolt to cause it to intermittently strike the nut 19 and boss 11with sufiicient impact force to break the corrosion and jarthe nut looseso that upon rotation of the wrenchdevice in counterclockwise direction,thc'nut will be unscrewed from the post. Conversely, the nut may bescrewed onto the post and setup tightly by screwing the bolt 76 intotheother boss it and-then operating the striker or impact weight 80 tohammer the wrench around in clockwise direction.

As thus far described, my improved washing machine tool is adapted foruse in tightening and loosening nuts andcenter-postsby rotating thesame. Some washing machines have spinner baskets which must be removedfor servicing or repair; Such a spinner basket is usually supported on along tubular member, such as shown at'85 in Figs. 1 and Z, the memberbeing carried by a tapered driving shaft 86. Due tothetapered drivingconnection between these parts, it is extremely, diincultto loosen themember from the shaft. Various devices have been proposed for thispurpose but these are ineflicient for different reasons, the mostimportant ofwhich isthat thepuller tool frequently slips out of place torelease or damage the support member.

Inorder to make my wrench tool universal in use, so that itcan removesuch support membersasrwellas loosen nutsand other threaded elements, Iprovide a puller attachment which can: be. utilized only in conjunctionwith thewrench. Referring to Figs. 1 and-2, the puller 90:comprises anH-shapedframe 9l having oppositeside beams 52: connected by a centralcross-bar 93, these partsbeing preferably made from structural shapes.The frame 9| is adapted to'xbe positioned on the wrench-with its beamsStadisposedagainst the sidesof the jaw levers 25:.and26 and with itscross-bar 93 extending transversely through the space occurring'betweensaidlevers. When in this operative position, the beams engage againstabutment pins. 95. carried by and projecting laterally from oppositesides of the jaw levers. The cross-bar 93 has a vertical threaded holethrough which is screwed apusher bolt 96, the lower end of which seatswithin a socket 91 formed in a plug 98, the latter having a reduced endreceived in the upper end of a pusher tube 99 which is inserted into theupper end of the basket support member 85 with its lower end engagingthe upper end of the driving shaft 86.

To pull the support member 85 upwardly from the tapered shaft 86, thewrench device is placed over the member as shown in Figs. land 2 and byrotating the operating screw 38 the jaw elements 50 and are drawn towardeach other to'grip the lower portion of 1 the support membertherebetween; Bysimultaneously rotatingor oscillat ing the wrenchand'operating the sore-w sh, the screw-threaded portions '53 ofthejawelements 5-0 and 5! are caused'to cut a -screvw threadin the"-periphery of the support member; ES-ShOWll lIl Fig. 2. The wrenchisthuspositively engaged with the support member toprevent relative axialmovement therebetween.

The pusher tube 99- is nextinsertedinte -theupper end of the supportmember to-cause= its lower end torestagainst theupperendof the shaft 85.The H-shaped'frameul is then placed on the jaw levers 25, E ias-shown,after which the pusher bolt 96 is screwed downwardly into the socket 9'!of the tubeSS: It i's'to benoted that the stop screws 30 and thepivotstuds -2 fl serve to center the wrench with'respect to thesupport'member (Figs. 2 and 3).

By rotating the-pusher bolt Bi -clockwise, the

bolt and the tube 99-are forced downwardly; against the shaft 86.

her 85 by reason of their interengaging screw threads, it follows thatcontinued'manipulation of the bolt 96 must resultin upward sliding movement of the support member 85 to cause it to be stripped from the shaft86; By lifting the entire device from the washer, the supportmember 85is removed from its shaft, after which the pusher means is disassembledand the" jaws opened to free the member.

In accordance with the-provisions of the patent statutes, Ihavedescribed the principle ofoperation of my invention, together withthedevice from said first jaw element; a firstupright jaw lever pivotedto said frame above said-first jaw element; a second uprightjawlever'pivotally connected to said second'jaw-element, said jaw leversbeing pivotally connected intermediate their upper and lowerendsandad'apted when their lower ends'are pivoted toward each otherto closesaid jaw elements to adaptthe latterto grip an object therebetween,saidjaw elements having'facing, concave, object-gripping, edge portionsprovided with notches therein adapted to receive projections of theobject-tokey'th-e object and jaw elements against relative rotation;:nuts' pivotally mountedat the uppenends ofthe jaw levers, said nutshaving axially' aligned bores provided with screw threads" of 'oppositehand; and an operating screw havingtwo' coaxial por tions provided withscrew-threads ofopposrte hand and rotatable'in-said nuts;;rotation ofsaid operating screw in opposite" directions acting through saidnutsandsaid jaw levers to move said jaw elements towardand away fromeach'other' to grip and release the object, said operating screw havingan axial extension providing a handle by which the device and theobjectgripped thereby can be rotated.

2. Adevice of'the'class described; comprising: a jaw frame havinglongitudinal guideways; a first jaw element fixedly secured to said"frame atone end thereof; asecond'jaw element. slidablein said guidewaystowarda-nd' away "from said Now, since the jaw ere-- ments 5G and 5| arelocked to the supportmemfirst jaw element; a first upright jaw leverpivoted to said frame above said first jaw element; a second upright jawlever pivotally connected to said second jaw element, said jaw leversbeing pivotally connected intermediate their upper and lower ends andadapted when their lower ends are pivoted toward each other to closesaid jaw elements to adapt the latter to grip an object therebetween,said jaw elements having facing, concave, object-gripping edge portionsprovided with notches therein adapted to receive projections of theobject to key the object and jaw elements against relative rotation;nuts pivotally mounted at the upper ends of the jaw levers, said nutshaving axially aligned bores provided with screw threads of oppositehand; and an operating screw having two coaxial portions provided withscrew threads of opposite hand and rotatable in said nuts, rotation ofsaid operating screw in opposite directions acting through said nuts andsaid jaw levers to move said jaw elements toward and away from eachother to grip and release the object, said operating screw having anaxial extension providing a handle by which the device and the objectgripped thereby can be rotated.

3. A device of the class described, comprising: a jaw frame; a firstfixed jaw plate integral with said frame; a first jaw element securedagainst the bottom of said first jaw plate; a second jaw plate slidableon said frame toward and away from said first jaw plate; a second jawelement secured against the bottom of said second jaw plate; a firstupright jaw lever pivoted to said first plate; a second upright jawlever pivoted to said second plate, said jaw levers being pivotallyconnected intermediate their upper and lower ends and adapted when theirlower ends are pivoted toward each other to close said plates and thejaw elements secured thereto to adapt the jaw elements to grip an objecttherebetween, said jaw elements having facing, concave, object-gripping,edge portions provided with notches therein adapted to receiveprojections of the object to key the object and jaw elements againstrelative rotation; nuts pivotally mounted at the upper ends of the jawlevers, said nuts having axially aligned bores provided with screwthreads of opposite hand; and an operating screw having two coaxialportions provided with screw threads of opposite hand and rotatable insaid nuts, rotation of said operating screw in opposite directionsacting. through said nuts and said jaw levers to move said jaw elementstoward and away from each other to grip and release the object, saidoperating screw having an axial extension providing a handle by whichthe device and the object gripped thereby can be rotated.

4. A device of the class described, comprising: a jaw frame; a firstfixed jaw plate integral with said frame; a first jaw element securedagainst the bottom of said first jaw plate; a second jaw plate slidableon said frame toward and away from said first jaw plate; a second jawelement secured against the bottom of said second jaw plate; a firstupright jaw lever pivoted to said first plate; a second upright jawlever pivoted to said second plate, said jaw levers being pivotallyconnected intermediate their upper and lower ends and adapted when theirlower ends are pivoted toward each other to close said plates and thejaw elements secured thereto to adapt the jaw elements to grip an objecttherebetween, said jaw elements having facing, concave, object-gripping,edge portions provided with notches therein adapted to receiveprojections of the object to key the object and jaw elements againstrelative rotation; nuts pivotally mounted at the upper ends of the jawlevers, said nuts having axially aligned bores provided with screwthreads of opposite hand; and an operating screw having two coaxialportions provided with screw threads of opposite hand and rotatable insaid nuts, rotation of said operating screw in opposite directionsacting through said nuts and said jaw levers to move said jaw elementstoward and away from each other to grip and release the object, saidoperating screw having an axial extension providing a handle by whichthe device and the object gripped thereby can be rotated; and screws onsaid jaw levers engageable with the object to center the device relativethereto.

5. A device of the class described, comprising: a jaw frame; a firstfixed jaw plate integral with said frame; a first jaw element securedagainst the bottom of said first jaw plate; a second jaw plate slidableon said frame toward and away from said first jaw plate; a second jawelement secured against the bottom of said second jaw plate; a firstupright jaw lever pivoted to said first plate; a second upright jawlever pivoted to said second plate, said jaw levers being pivotallyconnected intermediate their upper and lower ends and adapted when theirlower ends are pivoted toward each other to close said plates and thejaw elements secured thereto to adapt the jaw elements to grip an objecttherebetween, said jaw elements having facing, concave, object-gripping,edge portions provided with notches therein adapted to receiveprojections of the object to key the object and jaw elements againstrelative rotation; nuts pivotally mounted at the upper ends of the jawlevers, said nuts having axially aligned bores provided with screwthreads of opposite hand; and an operating screw having two coaxialportions provided with screw threads of opposite hand and rotatable insaid nuts, rotation of said operating screw in opposite directionsacting through said nuts and said jaw levers to move said jaw elementstoward and away from each other to grip and release'the object, saidoperating screw having an axial extension providing a handle by whichthe device and the object gripped thereby can be rotated; and screws onsaid jaw levers engageable with the object to center the device relativethereto, said concave edge portions of said jaw elements having portionsof screw threads thereon cooperating, when the jaw elements are urgedtoward each other and the device rotated, to cut a screw thread in theperiphery of the object.

6. In a wrench device of the type having a pair of jaw levers pivotallyconnected intermediate their ends, jaw elements pivotally carried bycorresponding ends of the levers and adapted, when said ends are movedtogether, to grip an object therebetween, and screw means operativelyconnected between the opposite ends of the jaw levers and adapted, whenrotated in opposite directions, to move said jaw elements toward andaway from each other; a jaw frame carried by and movable with one ofsaid jaw ele ments and having grooves extending in the direction ofmovement of the jaw elements, said grooves together providing aguideway, lateral edges of the other jaw element being slidable in saidgrooves to guide said jaw elements in their movement toward and awayfrom each other.

7. In a Wrench device of the type having a pair of jaw levers pivotallyconnected intermediate their ends, jaw elements pivotally carried bycorresponding ends of the levers and adapted, when said ends are movedtogether, to grip an object therebetween, and screw means operativelyconnected between the opposite ends of the jaw levers and adapted, whenrotated in opposite directions, to move said jaw elements toward andaway 'from each other; a U-shaped jaw frame having spaced, parallellongitudinal elements fixedly connected to the side edges of one jawelement and a cross-bar extending between said longitudinal elementsremotely from said one jaw element, said longitudinal elements having Igrooves therein, the other jaw element having side edges slidable insaid grooves to guide it during its movement toward and away from saidone jaw element, said cross-bar providing a stop for engagement by saidother jaw element to limit its sliding movement away from said one jawelement.

References Cited 1 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 210,684 406,092 899,3361,035,886 1,241,846 1,311,272 1,473,946 1,662,538 1,665,552 1,692,9111,732,160 2,067,626 2,162,216 2,323,774

Number n the file of this :patent' Name Date Goodrich Dec. 10, 1878Curtis July 2, 1889 Shaw Sept, 22, 1908 Markus Aug. 20, 1912 Grons Oct.2, 1917 Gumpper July 29, 1919 Amsden et a1. Nov, 13, 1923 Richmond eta1. Mar. 13, 1928 Kell Apr. 10, 1928 Vaughn Nov. 27, 1928 Frye Oct. 15,1929 Benninghoff Jan. 12, 1937 Harris June 13, 1939 Jacoel July 6, 1943Ravella Nov. 30, 1948 Scovill July 24, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Country DateGreat Britain 1880 France Nov. 26, 1923

